Waters of My Soul
by Hoperising13
Summary: Arranged Marriage AU. Lincoln, son of Luna, leader of the Boat People is getting married. To who? Why Octavia Blake of course. Octavia Blake, daughter of Melinda, sister of Bellamy, is getting married, and her whole world is about to change.
1. Chapter 1

Light filtered in slowly through the window, brightening up the hut with the morning sun. Pots and pans clanking filled the room with a steady beat. Octavia groaned at the noise and pulled her pillow over her head, muffling the noise. Her mother said something to her and left the room bringing all the noise with her. Left with silence in the hut, Octavia relaxed enough to start her wake up process. The whole village was waking up now and the sound of footsteps returning to the village meant that the early morning hunters had just returned. Her mother, in charge of breakfast, bustled around the village gathering the supplies to get the fire going again. Octavia sat on her pallet and wove her fingers through her hair, weaving large sections of it into braids that tumbled down her back. Splashing her face with water, she smiled at the day and its simplicity. Children ran around the village collecting twigs to add to the growing fire as adults stumbled out of the huts drowsy eyed. Her mother upon seeing her, bustled over to examine her. She turned Octavia in circles, examining her.

"And why aren't you dressed yet, young lady."

Octavia frowned in confusion. She was dressed, wasn't she? She had slept in her clothes like usual so she should be dressed.

"What do you mean mama? Am I not dressed?"

Octavia's mother clucked at her and frowned.

"You do remember that the ceremony is tonight right, your marriage ceremony."

Things had just gotten a lot more complicated. Her marriage would secure an alliance between her tribe, the Woods Clan, and the Boat People. Together with their newly founded alliance, they would be able to fight the war against the Mountain Men.

A few months ago a man had come to their village. He was quickly ushered into Indra's hut and did not leave until many hours later. His name quickly spread around the village, Lincoln. Octavia did not know the significance of that name at this time, but she soon would. The tribe's warriors rounded up all of the eligible women, including Octavia and lined them up. Her brother, Bellamy, frowned at this process but continued to help round the women up. As Indra's second in command he had a duty and apparently this was included in that duty. When the man left the hut, everybody stopped what they were doing and stared at him as he walked down the line, examining each woman. He stopped in front of Octavia, looking her up and down. Furious at the way she was being objectified she resisted the urge to spit at him and instead sneered at him, hand on her hip.

"If you have something to say then say it."

He smiled and nodded his head.

"This one. This one will do just fine."

Bellamy quickly broke ranks and ran to Indra.

"No! Absolutely not! He's not choosing her! She's not even 18 yet!"

Octavia was confused, choosing her? What does that mean? Indra raised her hand and silenced him to sputters.

"She may not be 18 yet, but she will be in two months. That will give her plenty of time to prepare."

Lincoln had stopped staring at her and had turned to Indra instead.

"In two months then."

He turned and strode off, out of the village and into the dense forest, disappearing from sight. Bellamy still stood arguing with Indra. And as his voice grew louder and louder she had a dawning realization. Lincoln, son of Luna, was the leader of the Boat People. The ones they were trying to secure an alliance with and the way alliances were secured was through a marriage. Octavia gasped. She was getting married.

That was two months ago. Her time was up. By tomorrow she would no longer see her mother or brother every day. She would not get to see her brothers budding romance with Clarke occur or listen to her mother tell stories to the children. She would not get to see the running river flow through the forest or watch the sun rise over the tree tops. She would not listen to the forest birds sing again or feel the moss beneath her feet as she ran. She was getting married and everything was changing.


	2. Chapter 2

Octavia is shooed down to the river to bathe by her mother. The cool water flows against her skin and for the first time after remembering her upcoming marriage, Octavia is at peace, at least until the women of the village come. For such an important marriage, Octavia is afforded the luxury of soap. A precious commodity, only a lucky few have the privilege of using soap at least once in their life. And while Octavia marveled at the feel of soap in her hair the ladies of the village scrubbed her body until it was red and raw. The air on her wet skin quickly chilled Octavia as the ladies wrapped her up in undergarments. Brought back to her hut, the women laid out knee-length deerskin skirts, a bandeau, and fine shelled and beaded necklaces. Dressed in her proper attire they sat her down to do her face. Painted with clay and beads around her forehead, they were finally done. Upon exiting the hut, the whole village turned to stare at her. Her mother exited from the group of women who had gotten her ready and held her at arms-length, looking at her in full.

"My beautiful daughter, you look stunning."

The other women all joined in in voicing their compliments.

Octavia simply smiled a sad smile. This was all that she had imagined her wedding to be, except for one thing, she wasn't marrying someone she loved. She was marrying someone she hardly knew at all.

The ceremony takes place in a small clearing on the outskirts of the village. The clearing was lit with torches and flower petals were strewn across the ground. As the village and a few delegates from the Boat People choose their seats, Octavia stood by the tree line waiting for her signal to enter. She peered from around the tree she was waiting behind and gasped. He was standing at the front of the clearing talking to his mother and Indra. His face painted in black stripes in the typical warrior fashion, his chest was bare and a tattoo ran up the side of his body to his neck. His muscles rippled with a savage power. He was stunning. As the music started up with the beating of drums the two women quickly sat down and Lincoln faced towards her catching her eye as she quickly retreated behind the tree again. The vocalists start up their song, cueing Octavia to enter. She breathes in deeply, taking in as much air as she can, exhales, and enters. She keeps her eyes forward, never glancing around, and walks with dignity and poise. She reaches the front and turns to face Lincoln. Anya, the commander of the entirety of the woods, stands before them. She talks to them, tells them about the sacredness of marriage, the bond it creates between two souls. She tells the story of the Reapers, once married only to be separated from their love, the resulting madness drives them to cannibalism. She tells of the importance of unity of the couple. That should their souls ever part they should fear becoming a Reaper. Ending her story she moves on to the sacred rituals. Lincoln and Octavia clasp hands and Anya pours the water over them erasing memories of past loves and evils. After drying their hands, Lincoln gives to Octavia a necklace made of precious stones meant to symbolize prosperity and wealth of the couple. She turns, and parts her hair to the side so he can clasp the necklace around her slender neck. He takes her hand and leads her from the clearing to the tables set up for the feast. They sit at the head of the main table, her brother and mother sit to her right and Lincoln to her left. To his left sits Luna. At the table too sits Anya, Indra, Lexa, and the rest of the delegates from the Boat People. Music plays as the food is served. Rich venison, sweet fruits and berries, corn, beans, and squash come round to the table and they all dig into their meals. Octavia finds that while she is starving she just does not have the stomach to eat. She is married now. Married. Her. As the feast ends the music starts up again and many leap up to dance around the fire. Lincoln pushes back his chair and extends his hand towards her.

"Care to dance?"

Octavia takes his hand and they walk together toward the fire. His hand around her waist, they sway to the music. He leans in close and whispers to her.

"You do not seem very happy wife."

Octavia startles and shakes her head.

"Of course I'm happy. Why wouldn't I be?"

Lincoln smirks and talks to her nonchalantly.

"Well now I don't know maybe it has to do with the fact that you're marrying someone you just met."

She smiles wryly and flicks her hair out of her face.

"How perceptive of you, my dear."

Lincoln smirks again.

"You see this—this is why I chose you. You have this fire in you. Something that we all have of course but, but something about yours is different. Something about you is different. I don't know what it is, yet. But I'll find out. I'll find out what it is about you that is truly magnificent."

The music is slowing and many are heading back to their huts. Your mother and brother approach Octavia and she quickly lets go of Lincoln. She flings herself into their arms and tries her hardest not to cry—she will not cry. Lincoln stands by waiting patiently as she and her family say their goodbyes. Bellamy clutches her to his chest tightly. He lifts her head to fiercely look into her eyes.

"He does anything—anything to hurt you and you run. You understand me. You run and you don't look back. Keep yourself safe O. I believe in you."

Luna approaches and says something to Lincoln. He turns to Octavia.

"It's time for us to leave now."

Her mother weeps desperately as she leaves and as they walk to the horses, she turns and looks back at the family she is leaving behind one last time and Bellamy nods at her, telling her to have a good rest of her life and a tear silently slips down her cheek.


	3. Chapter 3

Octavia sat in silence as the horses trotted along. The forest was alive at twilight, and knowing it would likely be her last time ever seeing it, Octavia drank it all in. The bioluminescence of the forest lit their path as they made their way slowly back to the homelands of Lincoln. Luna chattered away incessantly filling the silence with her melodic voice. Occasionally one of the delegates would respond, but that didn't seem to slow Luna down at all. Her hair, braided in the typical fashion, shined like moonlight in the night. Octavia mused to herself that Lincoln must have gotten the color of his hair from his father. Whoever that was. His shoulders were no longer bare and instead were covered with a fur wrap, his tattoo peeking out from underneath. Luna finally stopped talking enjoying the relative silence of the forest and the time quickly passed. Octavia, wanting to at least try to get to know her new husband, was finally the one to break it.

"Soooo, what's your favorite color?"

Lincoln turned back to stare at her oddly. She raised her hands in defeat.

"Fine, fine forget I asked."

They lapsed into silence until she prodded at his back gently. He gave a grunt in response but still she pushed forward.

"What's it like? Your territory I mean."

She was curious about the place she would be living for the rest of her life after all. Lincoln was silent for a moment, contemplating.

"It is… different than yours I suppose. My village, the leading one in our territory is on an island off of what used to be Delaware. The rest of the tribes live on the mainland. We still hunt, but we fish more so. We have ponies that roam the island freely which I suppose you would like. They are very beautiful. We too have the bioluminescence of the forest however is would seem that it manifests itself differently, in insects versus in plant life in your territory. It is very humid and rains often. And when a storm is coming in you can see the rain clouds from miles away, hovering over the ocean like some sort of ancient boat. It truly is magnificent."

Octavia nods, taking all of this information in. They stop to make camp for the night and as Lincoln builds the fire up, Octavia shivers from underneath her blanket. While still summer out and warm it was only relatively so. Once the fire is going, Lincoln smoothly sits next to her, leaning forward, and catching a loose strand of her hair around his finger.

"In line with your questioning I think it's only fair that I ask some of you."

"Ok."

She did want to get to know him after all and it was only fair she allow him to get to know her. He blinks a few times looking quite surprised but quickly regains his composure.

"Well, alright then."

He's silent for a minute perusing all of the questions he could ask her. He leans forward and traces his fingers up and down her arm.

"Alright I have it, what's _your _favorite color?"

She giggles and swats his hand away. He immediately backs off but looks relieved when she play mocks him. She can see it in him, the want to please her, to make her happy, even if it means their relationship is only one of a forced marriage. And she feels relieved at this gained knowledge, knowing that someone like this mustn't be all that bad after all. But she has never trusted easily.

"No way, that's not fair at all, you didn't answer it, so I don't have to either."

He sighs in mock disappointment and she finds herself laughing again. She can't help it, really, he is surprisingly quite charming.

To any onlooker it would seem like typical behavior for a couple falling in love. Except they weren't, were they?


	4. Chapter 4

The horses trotted quickly through the forest, anticipating something she could not yet see. Lincoln lifted his head and inhaled deeply, breathing in the air. Nervously she spoke to him.

"What is it? Is there trouble ahead?"

He laughed, a deep belly laugh that left her aching in her soul.

"No, or yes, depends on how you look at it, I guess. We're approaching the sea."

The tree line started to become sparse and suddenly dropped off into nothing. They had reached a cliff. Octavia felt the breath rush out of her. Below them was a soaring expanse of blue. They had reached the sea. Seagulls flew overhead, their squalls filling the air. She rested her head on Lincoln's shoulder, simply enjoying the outstanding view. She breathed in the air, the faint scent of salt in the air.

"It's beautiful."

Lincoln started to nudge the horse.

"Wait! Where are we going?"

He let go of the reins and pointed to a small path down the cliff that she had not seen before. She held on tightly to him, afraid of falling, as they maneuvered the horses down the steep cliff. Soon they came to a stop at the bottom and she took in the surrounding land she realized that it was made of sand. They were on a beach!

Lincoln swung himself off of the horse and reached out a hand to help her down. She gently took it and hopped off of the horse. He started untying the food bag from their horse.

"We can stop and eat lunch here."

She beamed at him and plopped down on the ground, running her hand eagerly through the sand.

She ate quickly so she could at least dip her feet in the water before they left. Octavia rushed to the water's edge, whooping in delight as wave after wave crashed into her feet. She was left in peace to marvel at the sea as the others discussed what to do with the horses. Lincoln called to her.

"Don't worry, there will be plenty of ocean to see once we arrive. Now come on, we want to be out of the boats before dark. "

They travelled down a narrow strip of land where an old, rotting, dock stood with four boats tied to it. They unpacked the horses and loaded everything into the boats. The diplomats got in first and then extended a hand to Luna, helping her in. Lincoln got in the last boat and extended a hand to help her in. She jumped in the boat, too excited to even take notice of his extended hand. He withdrew it and quirked a brow at her.

"Having fun?"

Having fun? Why of course she was having fun. She had been in a boat before but never one out in the ocean. It was thrilling. Octavia would have barely noticed the boat moving were it not for the wind in her face and hair. She trailed her hand lazily through the water as Lincoln rowed. At one point he even let her row for a bit before her arms got tired, her muscles unused to this kind of labor. As they reached the shore of land, she hopped out and helped them push the boat up the shore. Her pants were soaked to her waist and her hair was a wind ridden mess, but she was happy, and that was all that mattered.

"What happens to the boats now?" She asked.

"Someone from one of the nearby villages will come and take them back to their village to keep them safe until we have use of them again."

She nodded, that did make sense.

There were paths all throughout the forest at they rode and each time they passed a new one, Octavia would curiously ask Lincoln where it led to. Lincoln was very patient with her, answering each of her questions with well thought out responses. Before she knew it they were back in boats again, and this time she was able to row for more than half of the time. As they approached the nearing shore, she saw huts. She saw small huts and long huts and smoke coming from fires. She saw women tending a fire and men skinning animals. She saw children playing in the ruins and older ones netting fish. There was a market full of people selling their wares and even more people buying them. They reached the shore and this time Octavia did not get out to help push the boats up. She was too nervous. What if these people didn't like her? She reminded herself that she didn't care, she shouldn't care, this wasn't her home, her real home, and never would be.


	5. Chapter 5

Octavia had never felt more isolated despite being in a throng of people. They crowded around Lincoln, wave after wave of them greeting him and his mother, welcoming them back to the village. Nobody seemed to notice his new bride, standing awkwardly off to the side, unsure of what to do. Two men were shoved out of the crowd, one of them bumping into Octavia. Octavia fell flat on her but and the one that had knocked into her looked at her with fear and stammers out, he and his friend interrupting eachother

"So, so sorry we were just" "And then I don't know what happened" "Pushed out" "Fell into you" "Again so sorry."

They kept stammering out apologies. Both of them were skinny and gangly with unruly hair. They stood apart from the rest of the villagers in looks, while others were covered in tattoos and scars, these two had none and instead looked like, well, nerds. Octavia finally took pity on them.

"It's ok, really. What are your names? Mine is Octavia."

They perked up instantly.

"Well, I'm Jasper and this is Monty, and you must be Lincoln's new wife.'

She took a step back.

"I was not aware that anyone knew my name."

They laughed in embarrassment and Jasper rubbed the back of his neck.

"Oh, we didn't, we just kind of figured that you were the only person we didn't know so you must be his new wife. You are, right? Cause this might be embarrassing otherwise."

She smiled. They were kind of funny, in a dorky way. As people meandered off back to their normal business she realized she no longer saw Lincoln, Luna, or any of the other delegates. She panicked for a brief moment before she realized that this would mean she would get to explore the village unhindered.

She walked over to Jasper and Monty and linked arms with them.

"Well I guess my escorts left me, so that leaves you two. Why don't you show me around?"

Arm in arm they walked around the edge of the village and as Jasper and Monty told her the history of each of the ruins they came across, she marveled at them. These structures were amazing, even while falling apart. They had no ruins like this back at her village, they were all destroyed in the Cataclysm. Soon they reached a sandy beach, slightly off the path on the way back to the village. Octavia quickly pulled them along to the beach. Shucking of her clothes, she was left in her bra and underwear. She waded into the water. As she looked over her shoulder at them she realized they looked a little uneasy.

"I'm not sure this is a good idea." Monty shouted.

"Oh come on- I've never been swimming in the ocean before, now seems like the perfect time to do it."

She begged with them.

"Please?"

Jasper quickly succumbed to her puppy dog eyes but Monty still looked hesitant.

She floated on her back in the water, letting the waves sooth her troubled soul.

She felt something against her leg and suddenly Jasper was there, getting her out of the water.

They collapsed on the beach and Monty quickly ran over to them. She felt a stinging pain in her leg and looking down she saw red. Her leg was bleeding. Jasper cursed.

"Shit- we have to get this bandaged. Sorry, but I think it's time we take you back to Lincoln."

Octavia was too tired to argue. Her head nodded slowly and her limbs felt numb. Why was she so tired all of a sudden?

Monty ran to get her clothes and they helped her put them back on. Slowly with Monty and Jasper holding her up, they limped back into town. They quickly reached the main hut and Jasper kicked open the door. Lincoln had been pacing inside restlessly and looked up when they barged in. He narrowed his sight on Octavia and ran over to help them with her.

"Where was she? We've been looking all over for her."

He looked down at her leg and noticed the blood seeping through her pants and looked back up at them. He could barely hold in his anger and spat his words out at Jasper and Monty.

"What. happened. to. her."

The last thing Octavia heard was Jasper and Monty stammering out apologies as she collapsed into the safety of Lincoln's arms.


	6. Chapter 6

When she woke up Jasper and Monty were no longer there. Instead Lincoln hovered by her bedside, pacing nervously across the floor. Her head was pounding and she ached all throughout her body. Groggily she opened her eyes once more, and this time Lincoln took notice. He quickly rushed to her side and crouched next to her awkwardly, his large hand over top of hers.

"How are you, are you feeling better?"

Her throat felt too dry to speak but still she forced words out.

"Sore. What happened to me?"

"The sea monster scratched your leg with its fins. They release a sedative from the fins which usually sends its prey into a deep sleep. You were lucky Jasper was there to get you out of the water."

Octavia feels her breath stuttering. Not even a day and she had already almost lost her life. Way to make a good impression in a new place, by proving she was one of the weak. Octavia sighed and rested her head against the pillow behind her. Lincolns hand was still resting on hers and Octavia turned her hand over to grasp his. She jokes with him.

"Well at least I met some local wildlife."

Lincoln snorts.

"If you wanted to meet some wildlife, you could've just asked. Come on, I have something to show you."

Octavia hops off the bed and puts her boots, body aching in protest. But no matter how much she hurts, she puts on a brave face, after all, Lincoln had something to show her. They walked through the forest, at first sticking to the pathways, but soon Lincoln takes her off the trails, holding branches out of her way as she nimbly slips under them. Soon they arrive in a small mossy clearing. A single butterfly sits on a rock. At first, Octavia doesn't notice anything different about it, but as the sun starts to set, she realizes something. The butterfly is glowing. Octavia feels a smile starting on her face as she steps farther into the clearing and closer to the butterfly. She leans down to observe it in wonder, when she suddenly feels something on her arm. Another butterfly. She makes sure to slowly stand leaving her arms spread out. Butterfly after butterfly flutter down from the trees, aligning themselves on her arms. Octavia spins in the clearing in delight, marveling at the electric blue luminescence of the butterflies on her arms. As the sun finally sinks below the surface and they are left in the glow of the butterflies on her arms, something starts to happen. First the trees light up and she realizes as she looks up at them in shock that there are hundreds of butterflies on them. She steps and something below her foot lights up and she steps again. Mushrooms growing in between pockets of moss light up as flower after flower around the clearing start to glow spreading from the very roots to the petals. The butterflies on her arms fly off and following their lead, hundreds of butterflies on the trees take to the air. Lincoln is standing beside her and reaching down she grabs his hand. They stand in the clearing, hands intertwined, and Octavia starts to feel something flutter within her heart.


	7. Chapter 7

Lincoln is quiet as they slowly make their way back to the village, hands still entwined. Lincoln jerks to a halt, in the distance a horn blows. He quickly turns to her.

"You must follow me. Quickly now."

And sets off. He takes them off the trails and soon he starts to speed up into a run. She is chasing after him, crashing through the underbrush, starting to get scared. What is going on? She turns her head back only to notice a yellow fog creeping through the forest and she finds herself dumbstruck, left staring as it creeps closer to her. Lincoln notices she is not following and quickly makes his way back to her, he grabs her hand and tugs her forward. They are running hard now, the fog close on their heels, when Lincoln shoves her into an opening in the rock face. She stumbles but keeps running. Lincoln is moving something into place when they are plunged into darkness. She starts to panic. Her breathing is labored and she feels herself sinking to the floor when suddenly there is light. Lincoln is crouched in front of her, looking at her worriedly. She can't breathe. She gasps in and out trying to get air to go in. But nothing is working. Tears are streaming down her face as she struggles to get air in when Lincoln wraps his arms around her. He gently pulls her into her lap and takes her face in his hands.

"Octavia, listen to me, listen to the sound of my voice. You have to breathe, can you do that for me? Breathe. In and out, in and out."

She feels air starting to flow into her lungs and tears sting at the corner of her eyes.

"That's it. You are doing great Octavia, just keep breathing."

She shudders violently and suddenly all of her fears come bubbling up and she is sobbing in his arms, clutching at him like a lifeline. His hand is warm where it rubs circles on her back and she feels his breath in her hair as he holds her. When she has finally calmed down enough he looks at her.

"Are you ok?"

She laughs, tiredly.

"Just never been a fan of confined spaces."

He nods at that, as though thinking something over.

"What can I do to help?"

"Just distract me with something, anything."

He looks nervous all of a sudden about what she doesn't know but as she looks at him she thinks to herself that he is pretty cute when he's nervous. She leans into him and presses her lips to his. He is still for a moment before he responds. He moves against her lips gently but that is not what she wants right now. She tangles her hands in his hair and pulls at him harder. He responds in like, nipping at her neck. She moans against him and whispers one word to him.

"Please."

When she wakes up, it is bare curled up besides Lincoln. His hand is tangled in her hair, tracing patterns gently on her scalp. She sits up and stretches, sore from their previous activities. Octavia shivers, as the night had progressed it had gotten much colder. She quickly dons her clothes and accepts the fur wrap Lincoln had extended to her. Lincoln is silent and she feels content to just simply sit with him. She takes the time to look around the cave. On the walls are charcoal drawings. She stands up to look at them. They are amazingly detailed, depicting from water monsters to butterflies, and well, her. She turns to Lincoln who is watching her.

"Did you make these?"

He nods.

"Oh my god. Lincoln, these are amazing!"

He looks quite bashful and murmurs something. She stands with her hands on her hips.

"What was that, I couldn't quite hear you."

He speaks louder.

"They really aren't that good."

She disagrees.

"No they kinda are."

He just shrugs his shoulders. She would fight this battle another day, she had already asked a lot of him in this first day.

"Anyways, what _is_ this place?"

"I used to live here."

She looks stunned.

"You, used to live, _here_?"

He shrug again and she continues.

"But, _why_?"

He sighs.

"It was a long time ago Octavia, ok. Things were different then."

He looks contemplative as she sits next to him.

"Different, how?"

"Well, for one, my father was still alive."

Octavia had heard stories of his father. It was said that Luna's husband was a cruel man, a warrior and strategist, he had violently trained his only son to live up to the family name. She could only imagine what that was like. She had noticed many scars along his body earlier, ones not made by typical weapons, ones that looked like whip marks.

"Why didn't your mother do anything?"

"I love my mother very much but she too is a warrior and a leader, she only thought it was what was best for me."

Octavia is angry, very angry. How could they do this to their child, their son? Then again how could anyone lock up a small, frightened girl for the majority of her childhood?


	8. Chapter 8

The day after the whole thing with the acid fog, Lincoln was working. He gave her a pouch full of shells and beads and told her to go check out the market. The market was in full swing when she got there. Colorfully woven rugs hung from the stalls, protecting the wares from inclement weather and thick pieces of wood served as a sloped roof, many decorated with intricate chalk drawings. Trades people sold their wares, enticing people in with shouts of bargains and sales. Incense and perfumes were being sold at one booth, filling the air with their putrid scents. Octavia stopped to smell each one, having never before smelled such delightful things. One smelled of the thick, green pine trees in the woods at home while another smelled like the earth and sweat with a taste of mint. It reminded her of Lincoln. Booth after booth she went to, stopping at each to examine its wares. She bought a blue crystal statue of a butterfly and some costly colored pencils. Octavia had gotten the pencils for Lincoln. She didn't know when she would give them to him, just that she would do it when the time was right. At the edge of the market was a large hut filled with clanking and banging noises. She cautiously peaked her head in to find a pair of legs sticking out from under some strange contraption. It looked familiar. The person cursed wildly and rolled out from underneath the thing, giving it a good kick to the side.

"Damn piece of junk."

The person removed a mask from their face revealing a girl with brown eyes and dark hair. Still murmuring to herself about the contraption, she looked up, suddenly noticing Octavia. The girl narrowed her eyes at her.

"Hey! What are you doing in here? No one's supposed to be in here."

Octavia attempted to placate the girl.

"Sorry, I'm kind of new around here, I'll just leave."

The girl suddenly looked interested.

"New you say? Hmmm… You must be Octavia then."

Octavia stumbled making her way out the door.

"How does everyone know my name?"

The girl smiled at her and extended her hand towards Octavia.

"My name's Raven."

Octavia took her hand, shaking it. The girl, Raven, had a rough texture to her hands, years of hard labor forming callouses. They talked for hours, Raven telling her all about the island and its people. They talked so much, that eventually Lincoln had to come find her looking much too happy that she had made a friend. She had made a friend, hadn't she? As Lincoln and Octavia walked home, Lincoln's happiness slowly faded away until she was left with a grim looking Lincoln. She was afraid to ask what was wrong, had she done something wrong, but she reminded herself that she didn't care if she had done something wrong, she was done following rules and had been for a long time. Eventually she mustered up the courage to ask what was wrong. 

"The council has decided to go to war with a neighboring tribe settling to close to our territory."

Octavia was not shocked. War was a common occurrence amongst all the tribes. That wasn't what shocked her, the next part did.

"I'm leaving in the morning."

Now this, this shocked Octavia.

"Leaving? But you just returned. There is no way you could possibly be prepared for war so soon."

"The council was already setting war plans in motion while I was away."

"Oh."

The rest of the night was spent in silence.

Early the next morning Lincoln left, along with many other of the village's men and women.

It wasn't until much later that a breathless scout came crashing through her door, speaking of a trap.

Octavia felt her body go numb. Lincoln was in danger. She quickly pulled down a sword mounted on one the huts walls and took off. She ran to the boats, only able to find a tiny, beat up canoe. Not caring she hopped in and rowed for her life- or well Lincolns.

When she arrived on the other side she cautiously moved through the forest. In the distance sounds of a battle reached her ears and Octavia ran. She ran like she had never run before, like the wind.

War cries filled the air along with the sound of dying shrieks of pain and the clash of swords and the thwack of arrows. Octavia dodged blow after blow, calling out for Lincoln desperately at each turn. She reached the far end of the battlefield when her luck ran out. She had reached a rock faced wall and was steadily being backed up into it by a hulking man. She raised her sword in a defensive position and in her dance of war got a few quick hits in, but still he kept coming. He had backed her against the wall, sword raised high when a slicing noise filled the air and the man's head rolled off of his shoulders. Lincoln stood behind him, covered in blood, sweat, and dirt. His face was streaked with paint and he was panting with exertion. He quickly pulled her away from the battle and into the silence of the forest. He checked her for injuries frantically and upon seeing none pulled her into a rough kiss. Octavia kissed back, biting his lip hard. He growled at her and walked her back to a tree, bowing her back with the force of his next kiss. Together they writhed in the forest, the sounds of the battle raging on dimly in the background.


	9. Chapter 9

Octavia blurts out suddenly.

"I want you to train me."

Lincoln turns to her, not at all surprised by her outburst. He had actually been expecting it after all that had happened that day. The camp had only just returned to full volume a while ago after they had all observed their moments of silence for their fallen comrades. Octavia sits looking into the fire, knees drawn to her chest. Her brother had trained her in swords a little bit as they were growing up but as he grew older and older and got busier and busier, he started to train her less and less.

"I need to learn how to fight."

Lincoln already knows what brought this on, but he asks anyways. He pushes her to be her best and he will always do so.

"_Why_ do you want to fight?"

"Because I don't want to be weak anymore. I can't be weak anymore. Not after—all of this. Most of my childhood I was locked up by my father, weak and powerless and scared and I don't want to be scared anymore. Not of anyone or anything."

Lincoln bites into his piece of deer, hiding his smile. This was the Octavia he knew. A fighter, in heart and soul. And it was about time she realized it. He shrugs at her.

"Why not?"

"Again!"

Octavia groans aloud.

"Haven't we done this enough today?"

Lincoln twirls his sword in his hands and smiles at her.

"I thought you wanted me to train you?"

She murmurs under her breath what sounds like a curse and he smiles.

"Now do it again."

Octavia picks up her sword and crouches. They circle each other, each waiting for the right moment to strike. Octavia lets out a roar and charges at him. He lets out his arm at the last minute and knocks her to the ground. Octavia struggles to get up, but after having done this all day, her arms have turned to jelly. She collapses face first into the dirt. She can hear Lincoln twirling his sword in his hands when he says the dreaded words.

"Again."

Octavia wakes up with large bruises spotting on her skin. The dark, purple welts hurt as she pokes and prods at them, determining how serious they are. Her joints ache as she stretches, her shirt riding up, exposing her midriff. Lincoln is not in the tent and his bed spot is cold.

Lincoln is shouting commands at his warriors as they train against each other. They face off, swords clashing against each other. Finally the fight ends as the larger warrior barrels into the smaller one with a roar and Lincoln shouts for the fight to end. As the warriors disperse, Lincoln walks over to her.

"Good morning."

She smiles at his greeting and they make their way to breakfast. They are just sitting down to eat when a scout comes running into the camp. He stops where Lincoln and Octavia are sitting and Lincoln quickly stands.

"Report."

"Sir, troops are approaching the camp fast."

Lincoln shouts to the warriors and everyone all starts moving at once.

People are grabbing their weapons and running to their positions in the trees.

Octavia rushes away to grab her weapon and is just about to leave the camp when Lincoln stops her.

"Where do you think you are going?"

She scowls and attempts to move around him. He grabs her shoulder firmly, halting her.

"Octavia, you are not ready yet, you will be someday but today is not that day. You have only just begun your training. Patience, ok? Pack up as much of the camp as you can, we are leaving as soon as this is done."

Octavia folds her arms and glares at him as he lets her go and leaves the camp. She sulk for about an hour before she decides she might as well do something useful and starts to pack up the camp per Lincolns orders.

It is only as the sun is starting to set that they return. Bruised, bleeding, and battered, they stumble into camp, and as each person returns and there is still no sign of Lincoln, Octavia starts to panic. She has just started frantically running from person to person when she sees him. He is just as bruised and battered as the rest of them, but fortunately he is only bleeding a little bit from a scratch on his cheek. Octavia runs to him and when he sees her, he opens his arms wide and lifts her into the air in a desperate hug. She's crying she realizes numbly and she starts to babble to him.

"You didn't come back and I thought—I thought you were injured or dead and I—"

He shushes her.

"Shhh… hey, hey, it's fine, I'm fine, I just had to finish making a deal with their commander."

And as Octavia rests in his arms, clutching to him, she realizes something. That she can't live without him


End file.
